Method and apparatus for coating strands with flock



April 26, 1938. s. c. LILLEY ET AL 559,115,079

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING STRANDS WITH FLOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1955 April 26, 1938. s. c. LILLEY-ET AL 2,115,079

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR -COATING STRANDS WITH FLOCK Filed June 13, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 AP!!! 26, 1938. s. c r AL 2,115,079

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING STRANDS WITH FLOCK Filed June 13, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 a l-9m Wi 2 wimooooooooooooooooomflm mfimoooooooooooooooooim imoooooooooo ooooooofi mfiwooooooooooooooooom M4 Z wmooooooooooooooooo o0 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 3 Z oo 2 W 2x2awmmfimz a Z P 1938. s. c. LILLEY El AL 2,115,079

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING STRANDS WITH FLOCK v Filed June 15, 1935 4 Shets-Sheet 4 /36 e q A36 /33 33 f 0441-- o 03 5 B5 42% /3 m7 fly. 75; /73 a /7/ /ya Patented Apr. 26, 1938 (PATENT OFFlCE- 2,115.07, I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COATING STBANDS WITH FLOCK 4 Samuel 0. Lilley, and Maltby s. Fowler,

New Haven. Coma, asslgnors to The American Mills Company, West Haven, Com, a corpotaticn alumni-M13. 192.5, Serial No. 26,853

13 Claims. (CL 91-8) This invention relates to improvements in methods and apparatus for coating strands with flock, and more particularly to coating elastic strands with flock.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for providing strands with a coating of flock of maximum uniformity and perfection.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for coating strands with flock at maximum speed and minimum cost.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved apparatus for coating strands with flock, the apparatus being 01' maximum simplicity and durability and of minimum cost.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention includes all improvements over the prior art which are disclosed in this application.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain ways of carrying out the invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional elevation of apparatus for coating elastic strands'with flock in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 1, of a small portion thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental, vertical, sectional view on line 3-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on a reduced scale, on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, with the brush malnly in elevation;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on a reduced scale, on line 85 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a greatly-enlarged horizontal sectional view'through a. rubber strand just above the entrance-openings in the bottom of the adhesivecontainer;

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the rubber strand just above the exit-openings in the top of the adhesive-container, and with a coating of adhesive surrounding the rubber strand;

Fig. 10 is a similar view of the rubber strand higher up after a coating of flock has been applied;

Fig. 11 is a similar view of therubber strand still further up after the adhesive coating has flowed to a coating of more uniform thickness;

Fig. 12 is a similar view of the rubber strand after the solvents have evaporated out of the adhesive; 1

but they are intended to be as generic in their 10 application as the prior art will permit.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 13 of the drawings, the support 20, which may, for example, be a table. may support the main portion of the mechanism, although it will be obvious that the various parts of the mechanism may be supported by any suitable means. a 7

An adhesive-container or tank 2| (Fig. 2) is secured in an opening 22 in the table 20 by any suitable means, such, for example. as by turnbuttons 23, 24. The tank 2| has a top-plate 25 removably held in place by screws 23, and a bottom-plate 21 removably held by screws 28 which also serve to clamp in place, a gasket 23 of suitable material having a rectangular opening. The

top-plate 25 has a top rectangular opening 33 in which is removably seated a top die-member 3| formed of two parts 32, 33 (Fig. 6) connected byv dowel pins 34 secured in one of the die parts, and which dowel pins have a sliding fit in holes in the other of the die parts. The meeting edges of the die parts 32 and 33 have aligned grooves to form holes or openings 35. The bottom-plate 21 has a. bottom rectangular opening 36 in which is removably seated a bottom die-member 31 formed of shown) similar to the dowel pins 34 (Fig. 6) and having aligned grooves to form holes or openings 38. The bottom die 31 has a bordering flange 40 which serves to clamp in place, a gasket 4| of any suitable material having a rectangular opening. The bottom die 31 is removably clamped in place by any suitable means, such as turn-buttons 42 (Fig. 13).

3o two parts 33, 39, connected by dowel pins (not Q The flock-applying mechanism is generally 45 designated as 43, and includes two flock-holding chutes 44, 45, at the lower ends of the downwardly-enlarged or flared portions 48, 41 on which are located feeding or feed-regulating brushes 43 43 rotatably mounted in bearings, 5| (Fig. 5), adjustable by screws 52 down and up, toward and from woven-wire or other typegscreens 53,

54, secured .to theremovable bottoms T55, 56 .re-'

spectively of eachof the chutes 44, 45.

Beneath the chute-bottoms. 56 are air-ducts 51, u. Air-duct it extends horizontally and directs air against bafde a which latter deflects the air against baiile 80, which latter deflects air against baffle 6|. Air-duct ll extends horizontally part way, then angularly upward and 83, I6 sloped respectively at 61, II to provide exits 8!, II which lead respectively to'the chambers ll, 12, which inturn lead to the exhausttube or pipe 13, which in turn is connected to amotor-driven, suction or vacuum-producing fan or pump I4, which draws air from pipe "I! and forces it into the porous cloth bag II through which the air escapes. The upper rear wall-portion It prevents direct passage of air from the air-duct II to exhaust-pipe I3, thus compelling the air to move with less violence through the ilateral exits 0,10 and throughgthe chambers II, If to pipe 113. A damper or regulator 11 may be used to provide aconvenient" way of regulating the degree of suction or volume of air passing through the air-ducts. I v

A drying-chamber, generally designated as It. preferably has heated-insulated vertical surrounding-walls '18. The drying-chamber Il may be provided with any suitable heating means, as for example, a bottom-grid 80 having two main openings 8|, 8! and a relatively-large number of smaller openings ll, all of which openings extend entirely up through the grid and which openings have continuous walls so as to make a closed inner-chamber 84 in'the grid, in which a heating' medium such as steam, for example, can

be supplied by meansof the lead-in and lead-out pipes II, II. The two opposite inside walls '1, II are of undulating form. A pipe or flue IO leads from the upper end of the heating-chamber II to the outside atmosphere. r

A roll or drum 8| is pivotslly mounted in the upper part of the chamber 18 and is driven by gearing and shaft OLwhich-in turn is driven by gearing and the vertical shaft '2. Shaft 82,

through shaft 93 and gearing, drives the roll N. e

A belt 95 connected with the roll ll or a pulley thereon, serves to drive the roll 90.

her or the like, and of square,.round or other suitable cross-sectional shape. The strands are preferably of a size adapted to be woven'or knitted. r

The multi-toothed, b-like. strand-separators I", III (Pig. 1) maybe pivoted at III, "I

to be swung into and outldf strand-separating position. With the separators m, it! swung out of the way, a threading band or cord (not shown) having grin-means on one end, such as a cardboard or fibre strip having properly-spaced strand-grippingslits, adapted to grip the free ends of the strands I", has its gripend passed down over theroll ll, through the slot H2 in the top of the duct 64, down through the duct 64.

down through the top and pm),

a of the tank 2|, the tank being empty and the dies Ii and I1 being removed, and down around 7 the roll II, and has the grip-end connected to the free ends of the. strands Ill. The grip-end is then passed over the top of the separator H3 and the strands are passed between the teeth of the separator ill, and the threading-band is then drawn upwardly to cause the strands ill;

to pass upwardly through" the openings It," of the tank It, through duct 84, through slot III, through opening 8|, between the "teethof.

separator Ill, around roll 90, between the teeth of separators ill and Ill, around drum 94, be-

tween the teeth of separator H5, over drum l8,-

between the teeth of separator Hi, and to a receiving-box H1 having a separate compartment for each strand i 01. The threading-band is then disconnected from the strands ill.

. The two parts of lower die s1 are brought to--' 1 2o gether with the strands ill in the grooves forming the'openings I9- and the die I! is then secured in place in thebottomof tank 2|.

II is then dropped or pushed down in place in the top'of tank 2|, after which the tank is again secured to the under-side of the table by the turnbuttons 28, 2|. V 7

Adhesive solution II. is then poured into the tank I! through the, filler-tube ii! until the adhesive solution is visible in the open end of the tube III to bring the general level of the adhesive in the tank 2! to approximately that.

The tank is disconnected :from'the table 2| and lowered therefrom, and the two parts of upper, die ii are brought together with the strands in the, grooves forming the openings}! and the die 7 indicated by-the line I ll. The open end of the filler-tube I ll thus affords visual means for determining when more adhesive should be added. The adhesive solution may consist of rubber intex, water-dispersed rubber, natural rubber so lution, synthetic rubber solution, etc., with or without vulcanizing material, vulcanizing accelerators, fillers, pigment, etc. One adhesive solution which has been found satisfactory consists of approximately twenty per cent rubber,

twenty percent flller, pigment and vulcanizing materialnand the balance volatile rubber sol vents. I

a suitable quantity of fibrous flock m formed from material such as cotton, ray n, Wool or other suitable fibrous material, is put into the flock- Heat is turned on in the grid in and suctionpump I4 and motor I are started. This results in the strands I)! being fed upwardly through the bottom die-openings it, which openings do not need to closely fltthe surfaces of the rubber strands as the thickness or viscosity of the adhesive solution prevents leakage down past the strands. As the strands pass up through the adhes'ive solution H8, they draw the solution up asiat I22 and as the strands pass up through the current I passing along air-duct II strikes and passes around the adhesive-coated strands lll, resulting in flock particles [2! (Figsrlo, 11 12) sinking more or deeply into the soft adhesive 1a coating I22 on the strands. As the flock-charged air-current I24 proceeds onward, it strikes the baiile 59, whereupon it is deflected back and again strikes the strands to add more flock particles to the coating on the strands. The flock-charged air-current I24 then strikes baffle 69, whereupon it is deflected back and again strikes the strands to add more flock particles to the coating on the strands. The flock-charged air-current I24 then strikes baflie 9|, whereupon it is deflected back and again strikes the strands to add more flock particles to the coating of the strands.

In a similar way to the movement of the flockcharged air-current I24,- another flock-charged air-current I26 passes in through airduct 61 and by alternate deflection by baiiles 62 and 62, strikes the strands alternately on opposite sides to add more flock particles to the coating on the strands.

After the two flock-charged air-currents I24 ,and I26 pass up beyond baflie 6I, they merge into a single flock-charged air-current I21, and the undulated sides 65, 69 of the air-duct 64 act as baiiies to alternately deflect the upwardly-mov ing flock-charged air-current I21 back and forth to alternately strike opposite sides of the strands and add more flock particles to the coating on the strands and also absorb the bleed of the adhesive through the flock coating. The Elli-188kage slits I29 permit air to be sucked into the flock-charged air-currents I24, I26 at locations which aid in preventing flock being deposited on the baffles.

As an adhesive-coated portion of a strand passes up away from the top die-member SI, the adhesive coating I 23 (Figs. 9,-10) gradually tends to. conform to the cross-sectional form of the strand (Fig. 11) and gradually dries until finally it becomes substantially thinner (Fig. 12).

By the time the strands have reached the openings or exits 69, 10 at the top of the air-duct 64, the strands have acquired all the flock that can adhere to them. The flock-charged air-current I2! is prevented by the upper rear wall-portion 16 from directly entering the pipe I9, but is compelled to divide into two oppositely-moving currents which pass through exits 99, 10 with a minimum disturbance of the strands, and through pipe 12 and vacuum-fan 14 into the porous bag 16 where the flock is collected while the air passes out through the pores of the bag I5. It may be found desirable to strike, or have power mechanism strike, the bag I6 at intervals to cause the flock accumulated on the walls to become detached and drop to the bottom of. the bag and free the pores to the more free passage of air. The flock which is recovered in bag I6 can be put in the chutes 44, 46 for use over again.

After the strands are fed upwardly through the slot or opening "2 at the top of air-duct 64, they-pass up through opening, M in the heated grid 90, over roll 90, down through grid-opening 92, under roll 94, over roll 96, and into the individual compartments in the box I IT. The heated air which passes up through openings 6|, 92; 93 is given a back-and-forth motion transversely of the strands by the undulating walls 91, 98 01' the dryingchamber 18 to thus more rapidly dry the solvents out of the rubber adhesive, which solvents, in the form of vapor mixed with the air, pass through pipe 69 to the outside atmosphere for safety, as the solvent vapors are likely to be inflammable.

Rolls'99 and 96 may be covered with cotton sheeting to give suitable friction-surfaces, and rolls 90 and 94 may be covered with Holland cloth curtain material which is glazed and'givesa lower degree or coeflicientof friction than plain cotton cloth, in order to permit slippage of the rubber strands, if need be. Rolls 90 and 94, instead of being covered with Holland cloth, may be of wood coated with varnish.

Rolls 99, 99 and 94 are so driven-that they rotate at the same surface or peripheral speed, thus avoiding substantial stretching of the rubber strands during the flock-applying process. The roll- 96 has greater surface speed than roll 94 to keep the strands fairly taut between rolls 94 and 99. slippage of the strands on roll 96, if it occurs, does no harm.

If, however, it isv desired to produce flocked strands of lesser stretch characteristics, then the surface speeds of the various rolls can be driven at such relative speeds as to maintain a desired amount of stretch in the strands while they are being coated and dried.

After the strands I 01 have completely unwound oi! the-supply-reel I and before the ends have moved up to the bottom die 31, the motor I04 and vacuum-fan "I4 are stopped, thus stopping the whole machine. The strands I01 are now out at a location between the upper roll 90 and the slot H2, and the upper ends of the cut strand-pieces extending up through slot I I2 are connected to a threading cardboard carried at the lower end of a band or cord (not shown) for threading over the rolls 90, 94, 96, as previously described. The roll 96 may be rotated by hand or otherwise to bring the remainder of the strands above the cut, into the compartments of the box III.

The cork or plug I28 (Fig. 13) is removed from tank 2i to empty the tank of adhesive, and the tank is then released from table 20 by means of the turni-buttons 23, 24, whereupon the tank 2| is lowered to result in the lower ends of the cut strand-pieces passing up through the dies 31, ii. A second adhesive tank like tank 2|, and empty of adhesive, but. with strands from a new supplyreel threaded up through both the bottom and top dies of the second tank is now brought to a posiflrst box III with flocked strands having been removed for placing in the vulcanizer. The sec- 0nd tank is now secured to the table 20 by the tum-buttons 22, 24 and is then filled through tube 'II9 to the proper level with adhesive solution, ready for flocking the second set of strands in the manner previously fully described.

While the strands are being flocked, quantities of flock can be added from time to time to the chutes 44, 45, and although the lower portions of the chutes are downwardly flared or. enlarged to minimize any tendency to clock or bridge over the brushes, nevertheless, on account of the light, flbrous nature of the flock, it is preferable not to put too much flock in the chutes at any one time, but instead, to add small quantities at more frequent intervals.

Instead of using the bag 15, the upper ends of flock-chutes 44, 49 may each be provided with an extension provided with a pair of sliding or pivoted shut-offs or dampers, and each extensionmay have a porous bag connected to it, both bags being connected to one or two vacuum-fans as one above the other an! may be interconnected by mechanism so that as soon as one is completely closed, the other opens. They may be actuated by hand or by power-driven mechanism. Also, if desired, mechanism may be provided, either hand or power-actuated, for striking the bags to loosen the flock from the walls thereof, at intervals. Thus, by the successive actuation of the two dampers of each pair, when the upper damper is first opened, the flock accumulated thereon is dropped onto the closed lower damper, then the upper damper is closed to .shut off the air-pressure from the lower damper andthe latter is opened to drop the flock into the chute below it, whereupon the lower damper is again closed.

This cycle being repeated it any desired intervals. Inasmuch as only a very small percentage of flock from the flock-charged air adheres to the strands, it will only be necessary to occasionally add new flock to the flock-chutes, which can be done through normally-closed openings provided in the sides of the flock-chutes.

. In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 14, strands Ill'l to be flock-coated, extend vertically up through the adhesive-tank II and up through a bailled air-duct I30. Enteringthe airduct I30 in opposite directions, are air-ducts I3I, I32 which respectively lead from spray-guns III, I. Free-air openings I33 and I34 are provided at each side of the spray-guns I33 and I". Each spray-gun has a flock-supply tube I3! and a compressed-air-supply tube I36 by which flockcharged air is fed under pressure into and through the air-ducts Iii, I32 to coat the strands'with flock in a manner similar to that described concerning Figs; 1 to 13. The remainder of the apparatus can be similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 13. If desired, vacuum or suction apparatus, such, for example, as I3, 14,- II of Fig. 1, may be used in conjunction with the pressure sprayguns of Fig. 14.

' In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 15, strands Ill to be flock-coated, extend vertically up through a horizontally-extending airduct I of baiiied or undulating form. Sprayguns Ill each have a flock-supplyt'ube III and a compresed-aIr-supply tube I by which-"flockcharged air is fed under pressure into and horizontally through the air-duct Ill and out the exit-opening I. The flock-charged air coats the strands with flock in a manner similar to that described concerning Figs. 1 to 13. The remainder of the apparatus can be similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 13. If desired, vacuum or suction apparatus, such, for example, as II, II, I! of Fig. 1, may be used in conjunction with the pressure spray-guns of Fig. 15.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

We claim:

1. The method of coating a strand with flock, including: rendering the surface of a strand adhesive; feeding the strand approximately axially of itself; and causing two currents of flockcharged air to surround and move in opposite directions to one another across the axially-moving strand.

2. The method of coating an elastic strand with flock. including: stretching an elastic strand; rendering the surface of thestrand adhesive; and applying flock to the adhesive surface of the strand while stretched by causing two currents of flock-charged air to,surround and move in opposite directions to one another across the strand.

3. 'Ihe'method of coating a strand with flock,

including: applying a coating of liquid adhesive to the surface of the strand; feeding the strand approximately vertically axially of itself; and applying flock to said coating of adhesive by means of a suction-produced current of flockcharged air caused to move back and forth across said strand.

4. Apparatus for coating a strand with flock, including: means for feeding a strand approximately 'axially of itself during a portion of its travel; means for rendering the surface of the axially-moving portion of the strand adhesive; and means for charging a current of air with flock and causing said current of flock-charged air to surround and move back and forth across the axially-moving portion of the strand.

5. Apparatus for coating a strand with flock, including: means for feeding a strand approximately axially of itself during a portion of its travel; means for rendering the surface of the axially-moving portion ;of the strand adhesive;

and means for, chargi'ng two'currents of air with.

flock and causing said currents .of flock-charged airtosurround and move in opposite directions across the axially-moving portion of the strand.

' 6. Apparatus for coating a strand with flock, including: means for feeding a strand approximately vertically axially of itself during a portion I of its travel; means for coating the surface of the axially-moving portion of the strand with adhesive liquid; and means for charging two oppositely-directed currents of air with flock and causing said currents of flock-charged air to surround and move back andforth across the axially-moving portion of the strand.

7. Apparatus for coating a strand with flock, including: means forfeeding-a strand approximately vertically axially of itself during a portion of its travel; means for coating the surface of the axially-moving portion of the strand with adhesive liquid; and means for charging acurrent of air with flock and causing said current of flock-charged air to surround and move back and forth repeatedly across the axially-moving portion of the strand by means of reflecting surfaces located adjacent and at opposite sides of the strand.

8. Apparatus for coating a strand with flock, including: means for feeding a strand approximately axially of itself during a portion of its travel; means for rendering the surface of the axially-moving portion of the strand adhesive; and means including a baiile-chamberof undulating form, the undulations ofwhich are spaced from the strand, for charging air with flock and causing said flock-charged air to surround and move back and forth across the axially-moving portion of the strand.

9. Apparatus for coating one or more strands with flock, including: a container for liquid adhesive; a bathe-chamber adjacent said adhesivecontainer; means for feeding one or more strands through adhesive in said adhesive-container and approximately axially A of itself through said bathe-chamber; and means for charging air with flock and causing said flock-charged air to move through said bathe-chamber; said bathe-chamber 76 having ballie walls on opposite sides of and spaced from thestrands and being adapted to cause said flock-charged air to surround and move back and forth across the axially-moving portion of the strands.

10. Apparatus for coating one or more strands with flock, including: a container for liquid adhesive; a baille-chamber adiacent said adhesivecontainer; means for feeding one or more strands through said adhesive-container and approximately vertically axially of itself through said baflie chamber; and means for charging air with flock and causing said flock-charged air to move through said baiile-chamber; said bane-chamber having baille walls on opposite sides of and spaced from the strands and being adapted to cause said flock-charged air to surround and move back and forth repeatedly across the axially-moving portion of the strands. v

11. Apparatus for coating one or more strands with flock. including: a container for liquid adhesive; a bathe-chamber adjacent said adhesivecontai'ner; means for feeding one-or more strands through adhesive in said adhesive-container and approximately axially of itself through said balllechamber: and means including suction-means for charging air with flock and causing said flockcharged air to move through said bathe-chamber; said bailleachamber having baille walls on Opposite sides of and spaced from the strands and being adapted to cause said flock-charged air to surround and move back and forth acrossthe axiallymoving portion of the strands.

12. Apparatus for coating one or more strands with flock, including: a container for liquid adhesive; a bathe-chamber adjacent said adhesivecontainer; means for feeding one or more strands through adhesive in said adhesive-container and approximately axially of itself through said bafliechamber; and means including suction-means and flock-regulating-and-feeding means for charging air with flock and causing said flockcharged air to move through said bathe-chamber; said baflie-chamber having baflieiwalls on opposite sides of and spaced from the strands and being adapted to cause said flock-charged air to surround and move back and forth across the axially-moving portion of the strands.

13. Apparatus for coating a plurality of strands with flock, including: a container for liquid adhesive and havinga row of exit die-openings for the passage of a row of strands to be coated and each opening surrounding and of substantially larger of strands through adhesive in said adhesivecontainer and approximately vertically axially of the strands through said row of exit openings, whereby a coating of liquid adhesive adheres to and surrounds the strands; and means for charging air with flock and causing the flock-charged air to move back and forth transversely of and across the row of strands.

SAMUEL C. LHLEY. MALTBY S. FOWLER.

diameter thana strand; means for feeding a row 7 

